The Problem with Backup Tapes: District Court Orders Retention of Old Backup Tapes for Ongoing Litigation

In this patent infringement action pending in a multi-district litigation, one of the defendants moved the district court for an order allowing the defendant to destroy old backup tapes. Defendant ICM, Inc. (“ICM”) moved for an order permitting it to destroy old backup tapes that contain electronic business information of ICM for the years 2003 through 2009.
ICM had previously provided access to the backup tapes in discovery to Plaintiff GS CleanTech Corporation (“CleanTech”). CleanTech had extracted information from the backup tapes using CleanTech supplied search terms.

In its motion, ICM asserted that the data derived from the search terms was in the possession of and would be retained by CleanTech’s discovery vendor. ICM asserted that therefore there would be no prejudice to CleanTech if the backup tapes were destroyed. Although CleanTech did not file an opposition brief, it did indicate that it disagreed with ICM’s position.

Without much analysis and with no opposition from CleanTech, the district court denied ICM’s motion: “CleanTech has indicated its disagreement to ICM; however, it did not file a brief in opposition. The Court appreciates ICM’s consideration, however, it concludes that because litigation is ongoing, the backup tapes should be retained. The Motion is DENIED.”

* * *

The decision, although brief, highlights the problem of retaining data for years on backup tapes. It becomes difficult to eliminate the data and the data on backup tapes is usually wide ranging, covering many different business interests. To make matters worse, if there is any ongoing litigation it may become impossible to destroy the backup tapes without permission of the courts in which the litigation is pending and, as demonstrated in this case, courts may be reluctant to give that permission while the litigation is pending. This is why it is important to maintain backup tapes for a brief period of time for disaster recovery purposes only.

Stan Gibson, an experienced technology and IP trial lawyer, represents inventors, manufacturers, owners and others in litigation centering on complicated technology. Stan's practice is national in scope and he represents both plaintiffs and defendants and has litigated dozens of cases on behalf of his clients, taking many of them to trial. Although most cases settle, Stan's ability to take cases to trial enhances their value and drives favorable verdicts and settlements. Contact him at 310.201.3548 or SGibson@jmbm.com.

Greg Cordrey, an experienced patent litigator and former flight test engineer, represents a wide range of industries including medical device, computer, e-commerce, semiconductor, automotive, aircraft, and consumer products. He has litigated patent cases nationwide and has practiced before the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Patent and Trademark office as a registered patent attorney with experience in concurrent litigation and patent reexamination proceedings. Greg is recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in IP Law, as well as a "Super Lawyer" and "Rising Star." Contact him at 949.623.7236 or GCordrey@jmbm.com.

Rod Berman is recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the top 30 intellectual property attorneys in the State of California, and by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the top 100 attorneys in Los Angeles. Rod's practice focuses on patent, trademark, copyright, unfair competition and internet responsibilities and includes counseling, litigation, opinions, licensing and prosecution. In addition to being a registered patent attorney, Rod is a court-recognized expert in patent and trademark law, and has successfully argued before the Federal Circuit. Contact Rod at 310.201.3517 or RBerman@jmbm.com.

Andrew Shadoff, is a litigation associate who has assisted in prosecuting and defending patent infringement lawsuits involving mechanical devices. He has drafted successful summary judgment motions and pretrial motions in limine, and has assisted with trial and witness preparation. Contact him at 310.712.6856 or AShadoff@jmbm.com.

Joe Mellema's practice focuses on litigation in federal and state courts, including the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, and business and commercial disputes. He has handled patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair business practices, antitrust, and business and commercial lawsuits in all phases of litigation and arbitration. In addition to a law degree, he has dual degrees in electrical engineering and physical sciences, and was formerly a systems engineer at Raytheon Company. Contact him at 949.623.7232 or at JMellema@jmbm.com.

Rachel Capoccia

Rachel Capoccia focuses on technology-based litigation and counseling, with an emphasis on patent litigation, copyright litigation and other technology-related matters. Her legal experience is complemented by 10 years working at IBM as a software engineer before law school, during which she led a team of engineers who developed computer graphics software and computer aided design systems. She represents clients in all phases of patent infringement matters involving diverse areas of technology. Contact Rachel at 310.201.3521 or RCapoccia@jmbm.com.

Jessica Newman is a litigation associate, and a member of JMBM's Patent Litigation Group. She is involved in all aspects of litigation and has assisted in representing clients in a variety of industries with regards to patent infringement and copyright infringement issues. Contact her at 310.785.5372 or JNewman@jmbm.com.